A British dad who spent five years locked up in Yemen after he was wrongly suspected of being a spy has finally been freed.
Luke Symons from Cardiff, Wales had travelled to the Middle East when he was just 20 and met his now-wife, Massir, in Yemen.
But the former barber, now 30, has been held by the Houthi authorities in the capital Sanaa ever since his arrest at a security checkpoint in the southwestern city of Ta’iz on April 4, 2017, Wales Online reports.
After a five year battle to release him the UK Government announced on Sunday, April 24, that he was being flown to Muscat, Oman, and would "shortly be reunited with his family".
Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss, said: "Delighted that Luke Symons, who was unlawfully detained, without charge or trial since 2017 in Yemen by the Houthis, has been released and will shortly be reunited with his family.
"I pay tribute to our Omani and Saudi partners and our team for securing his release."
She added that during his time in jail he was allegedly "mistreated, in solitary confinement" and refused visits by his family, many of whom live in the Welsh capital.
In 2015 in Yemen between the Yemeni Government and the Houthi armed movement who imprisoned Luke.
British sales of arms to Saudi Arabia, who are supporters of the Yemeni Government, meant there has been suspicion of British citizens in the country.
Luke was arrested by the Houthi movement after they discovered his British passport.
Now the young dad is expected to return to his wife and son, who was just a few months old when Luke was detained.
His family claims that in the early periods of his confinement he was tortured to make him “confess” to being a spy.
Luke's wife claimed she was concerned for his welfare after visiting him in jail earlier this year.
In 2019 Luke's grandfather Robert Cummings said the family had been "destroyed" by his imprisonment thousands of miles away in Yemen.
He said: "It's killed our family.
"We can't sit down for a meal without mentioning Luke, we can't have a cup of tea without Luke coming up."
Cardiff West MP Kevin Brennan, who has supported the family since Luke was imprisoned and campaigned for his release over the last five years, said that ceasefire in the country and given them the opportunity to campaign further for his release.
He said: "I have spoken to Luke's grandfather and the family are absolutely over the moon and very relieved.
"It hard to believe that he was 25 when he was first detained and now he is 30.
"A huge amount of work has gone on behind the scenes for his release to happen but it was still nerve-wracking as he was nearly released two years ago and it all fell apart."
The Labour MP for Cardiff West also tweeted: "This is terrific news – after five years finally my constituent Luke Symons has been released from captivity.
"Thanks to all at the FCDO and most of all to Luke’s family for their tireless campaigning."
Mr Brennan said the plan was for Mr Symons to return home to Cardiff after he underwent medical tests.
